Phnom Penh, Cambodia – On November 26th, yet another trial is set to start against 140 members of the Cambodia National Rescua Party (CNRP), officially dissolved after a Constitutional Court ruling in 2017, in a move called “the end of democracy” in Cambodia, effectively eliminating the entire democratic opposition in the country. This decision, followed also by the arrest of
Inside Cambodia’s ruling party, the CPP, there is never a guarantee of consensus amid the autocratic power and nepotism of Prime Minister Hun Sen. The party’s more moderate elements, represented by the Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng – even though he publicly denies any divergence with the prime minister – do not systematically seek confrontation
There can be no democracy without a credible opposition, and in today’s Cambodia, there can be no credible opposition without the Cambodia National Rescue Party. It is thus vital that the international community not allow Prime Minister Hun Sen to use fabricated treason charges to suppress the CNRP. The sham trial of Kem Sokha, the leader of the Cambodia National
The political crisis in Cambodia has worsened since 2017. Until then, the authoritarian and repressive regime of Prime Minister Hun Sen was still able to present an image of stability behind a façade of democracy, which hid a handcuffed opposition, manipulated elections and an obedient justice system. But this misleading façade quickly collapsed with the arrest in September 2017 of
On 7 September, Sam Rainsy, co-founder and acting president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, Honorary president of the Nonviolent Radical Party Transnational Transparty and Honorary Member of the Global Committee for the Rule of Law “Marco Pannella” issued the following statement from Paris, where he lives in self-imposed exile. Exile has long been part of my life; even though
French version below In the name of the millions of Cambodians who support the position of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in favour of a free, democratic, neutral and pacific Cambodia, I firmly condemn the announcement by the illegal and dictatorial Prime Minister Hun Sen on Cambodia’s purchase of “tens of thousands of extra weapons” from China for $40
The following statement is issued while a delegation from the European Union is visiting Cambodia this week, for the second time this year as part of the process of withdrawing duty-free access to EU markets under the EBA agreement. On behalf of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), I would like to express to the European Union – meaning the
Under the leadership of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, the only opposition party in parliament, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arbitrarily dissolved in 2017 and its leader, Kem Sokha, arrested. This set the scene for rigged elections in July 2018, with all of the seats in the National Assembly being won by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).
Sam Rainsy’s return to leadership has foiled Hun Sen’s strategy to destroy the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) from within. Hun Sen was counting on using Kem Sokha as a hostage to destroy the CNRP from within. All kinds of intimidation and psychological pressure were going to be used – not only on Kem Sokha but also on his family
Thanks to international pressure the government of Phnom Penh is trying to show signs of altering it repressive policies. These signs, however, may be misleading, as in the case of the announcement by Prime Minister Hun Sen of the rehabilitation of certain former opposition leaders. In fact, following a recent and expedient amendment to the law on political parties, the